Community and Traditional Policing - Research Paper Example

Law Community and Traditional Policing Introduction Conventionally, the response of police to crime is expected after the occurrence of the scene due to the structure for supporting the routine patrol, speedy response to calls, arresting criminals and following up the investigations. However, community policing is seeking strategic integrations of the police operations with the entire mission of the police department, with an aim of fostering a practical deterrence of crime (Scheider 1). Nevertheless, the paper will compare traditional and community policing, identify both benefits and limitations of the strategies, and identify the ranks responsibilities in the implementation process of these strategies. In the next section of the paper, the SARA model of policing will be explored while identifying the operational strategies through the implementation process in the police department, and finally, discuss opinions on community policing and effects on the police department operations. Comparing Community and Traditional Policing The responsibility of partnership and sharing of crucial information among the law enforcement agencies has been emphasized by traditional policing, at the state, local, and federal level. In fact, information concerning a suspected criminal can be shared among different law enforcement agencies in order to facilitate the process of arrest. On the other hand, community policing focuses on supporting a wider range of communication among the police departments concerning effective resolution to problems caused by cases of crime. Moreover, it seeks an expansion of the relationship among the law enforcement agencies, which entail not-for-profit organizations, businesses, media, members of the community and nongovernmental law enforcement agencies (Maguire and Wells, 5). Therefore, the partnership entails involvement of various parties and sharing of crime and necessary information with different groups, instead of focusing on the development of practical remedies to the problems faced by members of the community. The foundation of police departments is based on activities of traditional policing, though these operations are not similar to community policing. In fact, community policing focuses on a different perspective, though modification and alteration of the changes concerning the perspectives of traditional policing. Therefore, these activities make a substantial contribution to the advancement of community policing philosophies, which increases the capacity of enhancing the services offered by the police department. On the other hand, community policing is supporting application of strategies that facilitate rapidity in responding to crime situations. However, decrease in time consumed in responding to a crime does not guarantee chances of arrest for prevention of crime. In fact, community policing facilitates the determination of the public and police department in increasing the rapidity in responding to the distress calls based on their nature, thereby matching the expectations of their policies. Moreover, the police are encouraged to increase the way in which victims of crime can report various incidences such as application of online coverage systems or volunteers to collect these reports. Therefore, community-policing focuses on increasing the effort, through which strategic response can be developed in situations of crime. In traditional policing, there are chances of increasing the frequency of arrests in cases of crime, which is considered a solution to crime related problems in the society. In fact, these arrests are significant to the police department, though they are not considered effective ways of solving problems in the community, due to consideration of other offences that fail to result to an arrest. Benefits and Shortcomings of these strategies One benefit of applying community policing is a reduction of fear associated with crime in the society, whereby there is increased presence of police officers in the residential areas; thus, increasing security. Moreover, there is a feeling of being secure, which forms a basis of establishing trust within the community. In this case, members of the community are able to increase their activities due to the understanding of the purpose of the police officers in their lives. Moreover, it serves as an improvement of the relationship between the community members and the police department, which results to improved quality of life and reduction of crime. Furthermore, community policing increases flexibility and capability of altering the strategies applied for solving problems in the society since different plans are required in various situations and communities. The benefit of traditional policing is facilitating ways to develop strategies that work among the community members while expunging those that fail to work effectively. Traditional policing has been implemented in numerous ways as a way of solving problems. It also provides chances for utilizing the talents and resources that are available within the police department, whereby allocations of resources to facilitate the provision of services. It also facilitates reduction of crime through services that have a significant impact on the people’s lives in the society. On the other hand, community policing has advantages associated with involvement of the public, where a form of collaboration is developed between the police department and the members of the community. Moreover, involvement of the community facilitates trusts association between the community and the police, whereby it assists in situations where the interests of the community member and police departments have disparities. Furthermore, community policing has been encouraging long-term commitment of community members in the effort of crime reduction. Traditional policing has a disadvantage of failing to ensure that people are contributing to the projects and implementation of strategies for crime reduction. This strategy fails to focus on improving the community involvement; instead, it focuses on the application of various programs aimed at advancing personal objective and agendas among the police officers. In fact, there are situations where traditional policing is deemed regressive such as the situations that require assistance from members of the community. Therefore, the police department ends up failing in situations that require collaboration with community members; thus resulting to inefficiencies in the police department. Ranks Responsibilities in Implementation Process Chief: the chief takes the prime role of overseeing the process of implementation in both community and traditional policing, whereby he or she takes the management functions and decision-making in the entire police department. Captain: the captain takes the role of recruiting the volunteers in the community during implementation of community policing while in traditional policing, the captain forms teams among the police officers to deal with security matters in the community. Lieutenant: the Lieutenant facilitates the socialization of members of the community with the police department in order to facilitate implementation of community policing. In traditional policing the lieutenant, hold meeting to discuss security issues with the police officers. Sergeant: the sergeant focuses on encouraging members of the community to increase their commitment in the process of community policing. On the other hand, in traditional policing, sergeant has a role coordinating the police officers in dealing with cases of crime in the society. Police Officer: Police officers have the role of dealing with criminal aspect of community policing, through programs and projects implemented by citizens, while in the traditional policing implementation, police officers have the responsibility of decreasing the crime in the society. Sara Model of Policing S.A.R.A model of policing is applied in situations where there are problems experienced by numerous neighborhoods, thereby fostering substantial results for numerous community members in America (Neighborhood Associations of Michigan, 3). The model develops a basis for collaboration through systematic processes for addressing the issues of community, security and improvement of quality of life. Moreover, the model entails a wide representation of ways to solve problems, which are perceived by members of the society. This model assists in fostering cooperation that contributes to elimination of traditional biases, through effective communication and introduction of innovative solutions in for various problems in the society. Implementation of S.A.R.A model occurs through a series of subsequent steps, which begins with the formation of a task force or a team of stakeholders. Therefore, this team or workforce will take the responsibility of implementing the S.A.R.A model. In fact, the group is expected to represent parties, who are interested with the problems faced by the members of the community. The other step involves identification of stakeholders, who takes the responsibilities of creating awareness among the public concerning the community policing, where every member of the community is expected to contribute in solving problems. S.A.R.A model involves minimization of traditional biases, which are attributed to constricted evaluation whereby there is freedom of involvement for members of the society through innovativeness. The first phase in S.A.R.A model involves scanning, whereby appointed team members are expected to give a description of the indications of the problems, which are reviewed through essential information. Moreover, scanning is a process through which confirmation are made concerning persistent and existence of a problem. Furthermore, it involves the process of gathering information from different sources for supporting the claims of existing problems, though there are evident problems and others need investigation to be identified. The other procedure in this model involves analysis, which is a stage that the team members utilize in collecting necessary information for understanding the factors contributing to the problem experienced by members of the community. There is a review of identifying the trends involved in various incidences, locations and individuals, whereby the problem solvers are charged with the responsibility of processing the data gathered and analyzed through outlined guidelines. In fact, this stage involves an analysis of developing understanding of entire problems and laying a base for identifying the response strategies, which entail collaboration and resources to deal with certain problems. In response stage, appointed team is expected to set basic objectives through which fundamental objectives are set for selection and implementation of response strategies. This stage is aimed at responding to the stage of promoting creativity and impulsive transmission of ideas. This stage commence with a session of brainstorming, whereby the team focuses on the quality of ideas gathered from different members. There are different innovative ideas that are emanated through the uniqueness of variations in perceptions from the wide spectrum, which comprises of different personalities in the workgroup. These ideas are focused on identifying the causes of various problems that may result to innovative response, and the group proceeds to evaluate these ideas in order to expunge, those that are irrational. This stage is aimed at developing the strategies, which are customized for dealing with the problems faced by community members. Therefore, three tasks are undertaken at this stage, which include development of response options, selection of the response strategies and implementation of these strategies. The final stage involves an assessment, which is an evaluation of the responsive strategy effectiveness, though this process consumes time since a lot of time is taken to implement the strategies. The assessment applies the former problems as the benchmark of measuring the performance of the current workforce reading their effectiveness in implementation. The main objective in this stage is to assess and evaluate the process and impact of the strategy response, in order to establish the relationship of the strategy and problems in the community. Effects of Community Policing on Police Department Operations One of the effects of community policing to the operation of the police department relates to support offered in their routine patrol, which is undertaken with objectives of desired results. Community policing ensures that the routine patrols are conducted with an aim of outreaching then community strategies, in a way that contribute to comprehensive reduction of problems faced by the community. Community policing also ensures that the routine patrol is applied in increasing the police visibility in reducing the fear associated with crime in the society. It also contributes to increasing patrol in certain areas that are considered hot spots in the community in order to reduce crime in the society. Community policing influences the process of conducting investigations, which is a substantial operation undertaken by the police department. In this case, community policing influences the members of the communities such as agencies to get involved in significant functions of solving crimes and enhancing the value of investigations through connections to the strategies of solving various problems. On the other hand, the community policing requires investigators to be intensively involved in their operations, whereby police officers are expected to submit reports that are gathered and shared to the public for preventing the crime. Community policing is enhancing the investigations of theft cases, for example, in cases of a theft case in a construction site relevant information is collected from members of the community. The community members can provide information such as the names of the builders, and conditions of the building vicinity, and the level of security at the site. In conclusion, the paper offered a comparison of traditional and community policing, identified both merits and demerits of the strategies, and identified responsibilities of various ranks in the implementation process of the strategies. In the other section of the paper, the SARA model of policing was discussed, whereby operational strategies through the implementation process in the police department are identified. Finally, the paper discussed an opinion on community policing and effects on the police department operations. Works Cited Maguire Edward and Wells William. “Implementing Community Policing: Lessons from 12 Agencies.” Community Oriented Policing Services. July 2009. Available online at:http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/files/RIC/Publications/e080925236-ImpCP-Lessons.pdf[Accessed on December 12 2012] Neighborhood Associations of Michigan (NAM). What Is S.A.R.A. Problem Solving? Fact sheet. December, 2000 Available online at:http://www.a2gov.org/government/safetyservices/Police/Documents/SARA%20problem%20solving%20sheet.pdf[Accessed on December 12 2012]   Scheider Matthew. “Community Policing Nugget”. Community Policing Dispatch. March 2008. Available online at: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/march_2008/nugget.html[Accessed on December 12 2012]   Read More